Get our schools sorted

Sir Tom Farmer said the education of children was the city's top priority, and that those in power had to "put politics aside" to find a solution.

The move comes after it was announced last week that the SNP Government would not guarantee funding the 100 million rebuilding or refurbishment of five city schools.

Sir Tom, who donated 100,000 to the Nationalists before the election, called for an end to the "finger-pointing" and for the First Minister and council leader Jenny Dawe to hold immediate talks on the way forward.

The multi-millionaire Kwik-Fit founder said: "Both the Scottish Government and the council in Edinburgh say this is a situation which they inherited, and as this is the case, they should sit round a table and find a solution.

"There is nothing more important than tomorrow's generation and we cannot afford for our children to be educated in second and third-rate environments.

"There is no point in finger pointing and blame games, a solution has to be found and the only way to do that is to get everyone sitting down and talking about what action to take."

The five schools - Boroughmuir, James Gillespie's and Portobello highs, St John's Primary in Portobello and St Crispin's Special School in Blackford- were expected to be rebuilt or refurbished under plans drawn up by the previous Labour administrations at the city council and the Scottish Executive.

The work had been expected to be funded through a PFI deal, but the SNP is set against them, believing them to be fundamentally flawed and an expensive drain on the public purse.

However, its idea for replacing them, the Scottish Futures Trust, has yet to be put in place, leaving the schools in limbo.

Labour has accused the SNP of breaking a commitment to match the old Executive's school building plans "brick for brick". The SNP, however, has produced a letter it says shows no firm commitment had been made.

Sir Tom said there were ways the money could be found.

"When you look at the cost involved, things like bureaucracy cost just as much," he said. "There is always money around, but it is always in various pots and can't be transferred. If we were to do away with these pots it would be easier to access money for things like this which are vitally important.

"If we want our pupils to be inspired and teachers to be motivated to teach then we need to get them the best surroundings and equipment to do so."

The Evening News described last week the state of Portobello High School, widely regarded as having one of the worst buildings in the city. Pupils and parents told how some children chose to go home to use the toilet rather than use school facilities and that in winter classrooms were so poorly insulated pupils had to wear jackets.

However, Sir Tom was also keen to point out that there were good things happening in the education system in Edinburgh. He said: "There are some fantastic schools which have been built recently for children to learn in some wonderful surroundings. I know from my experience of business that layout is absolutely key, and we need the best possible facilities for learning in this city."

Parents at the affected schools are discussing plans for a mass petition to the Scottish Government demanding action. Campaigners have also threatened to target Kenny MacAskill's narrow majority in Edinburgh East and Musselburgh to increase pressure on the Government.